An Open Letter To Robert Mann

I hope you don’t mind if I call you Bob, we’ve never met but we’ve interacted on the Tweeter Tube. I respect your unparalleled knowledge, expertise and experience in Louisiana politics. Very few people have worked both ends of the street as a participant and observer as well as you have. Your book about Russell Long is a classic.

Now that I’ve shamelessly flattered you, I have some unsolicited advice. You wrote 3 good pieces and a boatload of tweets about the elderly comeback kid, Edwin Edwards last week. I don’t agree with everything you wrote, but there’s one thing I’m in accord with: in this era of tribal politics he doesn’t have a chance in hell of winning a general election. Here’s the unsolicited advice, it’s time to back off and find another target. Edwin is an attention whore and you’re setting yourself up to be his foil in the media. The more you bash him, the more he likes it; especially since you write for the Vestigial-Picayune. Edwin always did enjoy baiting the Picayune and you’ll be his latest target.

I have mixed feelings about EWE’s return as I wrote in a post at First Draft, Let The Freak Show Begin. I think that you should treat Edwin like a political cockroach and, as we all know, they thrive in the light and scurry about aimlessly in the dark. Let him crawl around in the dark until he does something newsworthy. He wants the attention, so don’t give it to him.

Keep up the good work and get back to bashing the nutbars at the lege, Bitter Vitter, Boring Bill Cassidy, and our absentee Governor, PBJ.

Thanks for the advice, but I hope you don’t do pest control that way at your own house. My experience is if you ignore the roaches, they don’t go away. They multiply and eventually take over the house. By the time you finally address the problem, it’s too late. They’re in control. That’s why it’s best to get them out early. In that vein, I think you are dreaming if you think Edwards will go away if we simply ignore him. He will likely make the runoff and Louisiana will again be an international laughingstock. The time to deal with him is now, today, before he makes the runoff. If Democrats will stand up and not allow him to take over their party in the 6th district, the party might be able to save itself. Looking the other way is not good for pest control nor dealing with Edwards. -Bob

I am much less concerned about being an “international laughingstock.” As I’ve said on twitter and in my FD post. the MSM has its lazy stereotype of Louisiana that it will trot out whatever happens. The Edwards comeback will pass.

I know Edwards will not go away. I was too polite to say that you’re becoming a bit one note and coming of as fixated with Edwin. There are lots of other stories out there.

My columns on EWE are making many of my Democratic friends angry and/or uncomfortable. Some are deeply offended. To all of them who say that, I respond, “Good. That’s my objective. Glad to know it’s working.”

I’m just inclined to think you’re flogging a dead horse. Edwin’s candidacy has already peaked. He’s only in it for attention and a possible new reality show. Best thing to do is to ignore him until he’s done something worthy of attention. Right now he’s learning how to tweet. Not all that interesting.